Quick release buckle with removable strap gripping bars



Aug. 16, 1960 E. PRETE, JR 2,948,939

QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE WITH REMOVABLE STRAP GRIPPING'BARS Original Filed Dec. 27, 1955 j B I /3 4'.-- 8/6 25 INVENTOR. ERNEST PRETE, JR.

Unite The present invention relates generally to buckles and is more particularly concerned with a quick release type buckle `as generally utilized in connection with safety belts of the type worn by occupants of high speed vehicles such as aircraft and automobiles, firemen and other personnel.

The present application constitutes a division of my copending application covering a Quick Release Buckle, Serial No. 555,380, filed December 27', 1955, now` Patent No. 2,901,794. s A

It is one object of the present invention to provide a buckle of the herein described type, wherein readily detachable webbing `grippingbars are mounted for oating movement, and are retained in assembled position by the webbing threaded thereover.

A further object is to provide a buckle for a belt of webbing or other suitable material, which is readily and easily adjustable as to length for diierent users, and for various conditions, and which will grippingly engage the webbing in the adjusted posi-tion.

lFurther objects of the invention Iwill be. brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the Aaccompanying drawings7` which, are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a planl view of -a quick release buckle embodying the features of the present invention, a portion being cut away to show certain details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a side yelevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View; y

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the buckle, taken ksubstantially on line 4-4of Fig.v 1;

Fig. 5 is -a generally longitudinal stantially on line 5--5 of Fig.` 1; and

Figs. 6a and 6b are action views successively diagrammatically representing the latching operation of the latching mechanism and connecting belt fitting.

Referring now to the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the quick release buckle of the present invention comprises essentially two structures A and B which are adapted to separably interconnect the ends of a exible. member such as a safety belt of webbing or other suitable material.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, structure A comprises lan essentially channel shaped frame 10 in which there is aV bottom wall 11 and spaced side anges 12 and 13 which project upwardly frornthe bottom wall.

The right end portion of each side wall, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with a generally L-shaped notch 14, these notches being aligned transversely of the frame 10 and each notch havinga leg I5 which extends substantially parallel to the bottom wall 11,-and, a leg 16 which extends substantially at right'angles or normal to the bottom wall and opens into the upper edge margin of the yassociated side flange. The L.sh aped notches 14 are utilized to facilitate removably mounting a transversely extending slide bar 17 on the side anges, the slide bar being generally of round configuration and havsection, taken sub- States nPatent ice ing notches or end grooves 18 and 19 at each end which cooperate to form a web portion 20 adapted to be inserted through the open ends of the notches and to `be positioned normally in the leg 15 of the notches so as to slidably support the slide bar for lateral movements in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom wall 11. The ends of the slide bar project to the exterior of the side anges to facilitate manually sliding of the slide bar by grasping its vprojecting ends. The portion of the slide bar extending between the side flanges may be knurled or otherwise Toughened to increase its gripping eiect.

There is also a locking bar 21 which is` cooperatively associated with the slide bar 17, the lock-ing bar having an edge groove 22, one ywall of this groove being extended to form a projecting ledge 23. Adjacent the open ends of the legs 16 of the L-shaped notches 14, the side flanges are inwardly deiiected to form lingers 24 and 25 which are `adapted to extend into the ends of the groove 22 and provide supports under the associated ends of the ledge 23 upon which the locking bar may be slidably moved towards the slide bar, and may be disassembled and assembled along with the slide bar without the utilization of any tools. The edge of the locking bar which faces the slide ba-r is angularly inclined as shown at 26 to form a substantially at surface which is serrated or otherwise roughened to increase its gripping effect.

The slide bar and locking bar cooperate with the bottom wall 11 to form a passage for a web strap or belt which is formed with a loop portion 27 which extends around the slide bar with alower run 28 passing below the locking bar 21 and along the bottom wall 11, while an upper run 29- extends from the loop between the slide bar and lock-ing bar, and then thence over the lower run below the locking bar. With this arrangement,` tension on the upper and lower runs of the webbing will act to slide the slide bar in a direction towards the locking bar so as to forcibly grip the upper run between their confronting surfaces and thus hold :and anchor the structure A to the webbing threaded between the slide bar and locking bar.

The webbing, however, may be readily adjusted by releasing the slide 'bar simply by grasping the projecting ends of the slide bar between the ingers and moving it away from the locking bar, Iwhereupon the upper and lower runs lare freed for adjusting movement.

-A further feature of the construction just described resides in the utilization of the webbing to retain the slide bar and locking bar in assembled relation and prevent their beingdisassembled so long as the webbing extends between-the slide bar Iand locking bar. However, upon removal of the webbing, the slide bar and locking bar may be readily disassembled for replacement, repair or for other purposes.

The latchi-ng and quick release mechanism will now be. described. At the opposite end of theframe 10, the side anges form supports for the ends of a pivot pin 30 upon which thereis swingably mounted a handle member 31 of generally plate-like construction, this handle having an enlarged end portion through which the pivot pin extends, and which defines carnrning surfaces 32. and 33, as shown in Fig. 4, which are in confronting relation with the facing surface Vof the back wall 11, but spaced therefrom. As shown in Fig. 1, the handle member 31 is impelled by means of a coiled spring 34 in a direction to move the outer end of the handle into engagement with the upper surface ofthe locking' bar 21. One end of the spring 34 is anchored in the adjacent side flange l2, while the opposite end of the spring 34 is anchored in the adjacent material of the handle. v

As shown in lFigs. 4 and 5, a pair of latch dogs 35 lines.

and 36 are supported in divergent relation on the pivot pin 30, the pivot pin being carried through elongate openings 37 respectively provided in each of the latch dogs. The latch dogs are resiliently retained in diverging relation by means of a coiled spring 38 which surrounds a retaining stud 39 on the under surface of the handle 31, and has deflected vend portions 40 and 41 which bear against the confronting surfaces of the latch dogs to spread these ends of the dogs apart until they abut movement restraining shoulders 42 and 43 formed in the adjacent material of the handle. As shown in Fig. 5, the latch dogs 35 and 36 have a projecting edge portion 44 in each case which in the normal position of the handle 31 extend into a `generally segmental opening 45 in the bottom wall 11.

With the above handle construction and associated latch dogs, the latch dogs and handle will normally occupy a position as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the latch dogs are in operative position in the path of movement of an inserted connection fitting 46 comprising the structure B, and which will subsequently be described in detail. However, by manually swinging the handle 3l in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, the handle may be moved to a raised position as shown in dotted In the raised position, the latch dogs will be moved to an inoperative position in which the edge portions 44 will be moved out of the opening 45 and out of the path of movement of the connection iitting 46 to `an inoperative position of the latch dogs. lIn this position, the connection fitting will be released for separation from the structure A.

More specifically, the connection fitting 46, which comprises the structure B, is in the form of ka plate member having a transversely extending slot 47 adjacent one end through which an end of a belt of webbing or other material may be threaded and formed into a securing loop. The connection fitting has a pair of spaced linger members 48 and 49 which terminate at their outermost ends in confronting end portions 50 and 51 which are in spaced apart relation, as shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. To interconnect the structures A and =B, the tingers 48 vand `49 of the connection fitting 46 are inserted into the yend of the frame in the space between the cam surfaces 32 and 33 and the confronting surface of the bottom Wall 11. The initial position of insertion is shown in Fig. 6a in full lines. iIt will be observed that the fingers 50 and 51 engage the outer snrfaces of the most closely positioned ends of the latch dogs, and that as the projecting ends `50 and 51 ride over the engaged surfaces of the latch dogs, the latch dogs will be moved into substantially parallel relation as indicated in dotted lines, against the force of the spring 38. When 'the connection tting reaches fully inserted position, as shown in Fig. 6b in full lines, the projections `50 and 51 of the lingers 48 and 49 will have been moved to a position clear of the latch dogs, thus permitting the latch dogs to be impelled by the spring 38 into a latching position behind the projections 50 and 51,

thus latchingly securing the connection itting against withdrawal and separation from structure A. However, at any time that it is desired to quickly release the connection iitting, this is easily accomplished by manually gnasping the lever 31 and rotating it in the manner previously explained so as to carry the latching dogs to an inoperative position above the ngers 48 and 49, whereupon the connection fitting is released and may be separated from the structure A.

Various modiications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure in- .4 cluding spaced side flanges each having an L-shaped notch opening at one end, said notches being aligned transversely of said frame; a bar having its ends slidably supported in said notches and being removable through the open ends of-thel notches; fingers respectively projecting inwardly from said side anges adjacent said open ends; and a locking bar having a grooved under surface for removably receiving said fingers, whereby the locking bar is removably mounted thereon, said locking bar extending substantially parallel to said first bar and normally opposing removal thereof through the open ends of said notches, but upon removal of said locking bar permitting removal of said iirst bar through said open ends.

2. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure including spaced side flanges each having an L-shaped notch open at one end, said notches being aligned transversely of said frame; a bar having its ends slidably supported in said notchm and being removable through the open ends of the notches; iingers respectively projecting inwardly from said side flanges adjacent said open ends; `and a locking bar removably supported on said lingers, said locking bar extending substantially parallel tol said first bar and Inormally opposing removal thereof through the open ends of said notches, but upon removal of said locking bar permitting removal of said first bar through said open ends. v. v

3. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure including vspaced side flanges 4each having an L-shaped notch open at one end, said notches being aligned transversely of said frame; a bar having its ends slidably supported in said notclhes and being removable through the open ends of the notches; and a locking bar removably Isupported on said frame adjacent the open ends of said notches, said locking bar extending substantially parallel to said iirst bar and normally opposing removal thereof through the open ends of said notches, but upon removal of said locking bar permitting removal of said iirst bar through said open ends.

cluding spaced side flanges each having an L-shaped notch open at one end, said notches being aligned transversely of said frame; a bar having its ends slidably supported in said notches and projecting outwardly beyond said side flanges, and being removable through the open ends of the notches; and a locking bar for gripping coaction with said iirst bar, said locking bar being removably supported on said frame adjacent the open ends of said notches and extending substantially parallel to said nrst bar and normally opposing removal thereof through the open ends of said notches.

5. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure including spaced side anges each having an L-shaped notch open at one end, said notches being aligned transversely of said frame; a bar having its ends slidably supported in said notches and being removable through the open ends of the notches; and a locking bar for gripping coaction with said first bar, said locking bar being removably supportedl on said frame adjacent the open ends of said notches and extending substantially parallel to said irst bar and normally opposing removal thereof through the open ends of said notches.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 17, 1954 

